I must confess that my first visit to St. Clair, Michigan was more a matter of good timing than it was good planning. For years I had passed right by this small industrial center with its single tall smoke stack on the west bank of the St. Clair River where it is joined by the Pine River. I was either heading toward a cruise destination in Lake Huron or returning home to Lake Erie. I didn't stop because, frankly, their front door was always closed… or should I say, the bridge was down. That light blue bascule bridge just a hundred feet or so from the mouth of the Pine River opens only on the hour and half hour. Typically I'd pass this point on the river about 9:05 in the morning or 3:40 in the afternoon and wouldn't want to float around for 20-25 minutes waiting for the next opening.
That changed the year I was returning from a trip to the Soo. I had been out for just over two weeks and was down to my last few days of vacation. I remember that I guided Gael Force out of Port Austin that morning and ran nonstop south into the St. Clair River. At this point I was only a day's run from my homeport in Sandusky Bay and was not eager to see this great cruise come to an end. Where could I put in at to stretch this cruise one more day? The answer lies just ahead behind a light blue drawbridge at the entrance to the Pine River. And the time of day? 2:55PM! Welcome to St. Clair, Michigan!
Making Your Approach
Navigating on the St. Clair River is easy but current charts are just as important here as they are on the open lake. This is the largest freshwater shipping channel in the world, the St. Lawrence Seaway, so there is plenty of depth for even the largest freighters. The channel is well-marked making it easy to check off the buoys as you pass them. Checking off buoys may seem trivial but it is important to do just that, especially where the channel makes bends within the riverbed. Relying on visually picking up the buoys could cause a boater to miss one, cut a corner and hit bottom on some middle ground mid-river. This very scenario exists just north of the Pine River. At the point where the St. Clair widens to 5/8 mile, the depth at mid-river is only 3 feet. Keep to the west half of the river to stay in the channel. The entrance to the Pine River is on the west bank of the St. Clair River opposite red lighted buoys "48" and "50" at L42º43.200'N, Lo082º29.030'W. There is an outstanding aerial photograph that shows the river mouth, the bridge, and the marina on page 79 of the current 5th Edition of Richardsons' Chart Book for Lake Erie.
The bascule bridge at the entrance to the Pine River opens to let a derrick barge leave the harbor and move into the St. Clair River.
Photo by George Harizal
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The customary bridge signal of one prolonged followed by a short blast of your horn will signal the bridge operator of your intentions but you will still have to wait until the top or bottom or the hour for the opening. Once past the bridge, the river turns south and widens into a nice harbor with the marina being on your left. You've arrived! Let's explore St. Clair! |
Places To Stay
The Charles F. Moore Municipal Marina (810-329-7121) monitors VHF Channel 9 from 7AM until 11PM from April 1st through October 15th.. During my return visit in July of 2003, it was nice to have a dockhand meet me at my assigned dock to help me tie Gael Force to the dock. Here I found a fuel dock offering both gas and diesel, 60 transient slips, pumpout, 30/50A shore power and water at the docks. Amenities include very clean and well-maintained restrooms and showers, laundry, ice, pop, playground, and picnicking on tables or in enclosed pavilions. The marina is within easy walking distance of restaurants and other attractions.
| Cruisers will find that St. Clair is rich in history and a night off the boat would be well spent in one of their famous inns. We'll start with my favorite, the historic Murphy Inn (810-329-7118) at 550 Clinton Street. Built in 1836 as a boarding house, it is one of the oldest operating inns in the state of Michigan. The two-story white wood structure has been totally restored to preserve as much of the original building as possible. The first floor houses dining rooms and the barroom featuring an original Brunswick oak and mahogany bar. Just inside the front entrance to the Inn behind the reception stand in the lobby is the original, red-carpeted maple, grand staircase that leads to seven guestrooms on the second floor. Each room has been finished in country antiques and rich English wallpaper, private baths and showers. A complimentary continental breakfast is served from 6:30-10:00AM each morning. Log on to www.murphyinn.com for a virtual tour of the Murphy Inn. |
The original red carpeted grand staircase leading to the seven, 2nd floor guestrooms at the Murphy Inn.
Photo by George Harizal
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For a room right on the St. Clair River, you can't do any better than the St. Clair Inn (810-329-2222) at 500 N. Riverside. Known as the "Inn On the River," the St. Clair Inn is a full service hotel offering 79 guest rooms including suites and the three bedroom "Captains House." Visit them online at www.stclairinn.com for more information.
The William Hopkins Manor Bed & Breakfast (810-329-0188) at 613 North Riverside Ave. is a most elegant B&B. This 1876 Second Empire Victorian single family home is perched on a hill overlooking the river. From the front porch guests enjoy an unobstructed view of the river and the freighters.
Places To Eat
As the name and as the shamrock in the logo might suggest, The Murphy Inn offers an Irish Pub atmosphere in addition to a full menu in their dining room. You will find a fine selection of soups, salads, steaks, ribs, seafood, sandwiches and even pizza here. And as with any good Irish pub, they serve up a wide selection of domestic and imported beers including Guinness. They even bottle their own Murphy Stout and Murphy Irish Amber.
The St. Clair Inn dining room offers classic fare including steaks, seafood, pasta, chicken and specialty dishes. They are open for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. From the River Lounge, you can have your favorite cocktail while enjoying a stunning view of the river. Entertainment is featured four days a week.
Pepper Joe's (810-326-1710) at 119 Clinton just north of the bridge serves up a wide variety of Tex-Mex selections. They also offer seafood, ribs, pizza, steaks, and prime rib. Their specialty is herb-roasted prime rib offered in serving sizes ranging from a 10 oz. Petite cut to their 40 oz. Hawes cut! I thought about it… I probably could have… but I didn't. Maybe next year.
The Sports Bar & Bowling (810-329-4101) at 525 Riverside Ave. is a sports bar with an attached bowling alley on the street side of a large building. One nice feature that separates this sports bar from so many others I've seen is that instead of displaying pictures of professional teams and athletes, this bar is totally dedicated to supporting the local high school athletic teams and individual student athletes. Every boys and girls sport that the high school offers is included with displays of team pictures, trophies, and ribbons. What a great way to get behind the local team! On the river side of this same building is the Voyageur (810-329-3331), a fine restaurant and lounge offering a terrific view of the freighters that regularly ply these waters. Indoor and outdoor seating gives guests a choice of their favorite view and atmosphere.
A complimentary shuttle service is available to take Cruisers from the St. Clair Boat Harbor to the River Crab Restaurant & Blue Water Inn (800-468-3727) just north of town. As the name suggests, their specialty is seafood but you will find a full menu here too. This is definitely fine dining with a serene view of the pleasure boats, huge lake freighters, and ocean-going "salties" as they are called. You can choose between indoor dining or outdoor patio dining right at the water's edge and enjoy live entertainment Wednesday through Friday. On Sundays the restaurant offers a fabulous Sunday Brunch with live Strolling Dixieland Jazz. This has been hailed as Michigan's finest by several of the state's food critics and travel writers. Thanks to the shuttle service, this place is easy to get to. I can personally recommend that you put the River Crab on your list of places to eat and things to do while in St. Clair.
For more information on local dining options, contact the St. Clair Chamber of Commerce at 810-329-2962 or visit their website at www.stclairchamber.com.
Things To Do And See
History tells us that what is now St. Clair, Michigan began in 1764 as a fortified Indian trading post that was constructed on the south bank of the Pine River where it joins the St. Clair River. Its purpose was to protect the supply route between Detroit and Fort Michilimackinac at what is now Mackinaw City. The fort was built and commanded by Lt. Patrick Sinclair of the British Army. Sinclair, being an enterprising fellow, made his own private deal with the Chippewa Indian leaders and acquired an additional 5,000 acres of land around the fort. Sinclair called his personal acquisition "The Pinery" and developed the land by cultivating it and planting orchards. This was, unfortunately, his undoing because it violated a British law that prohibited private transactions with "Red Men." In 1788 he lost his rights to the "Pinery" and his private holdings were sold at public auction. The entire settlement continued to be known as "Sinclair" for another 40 years. The location of Fort Sinclair is marked today by a plaque just a short distance southwest of the bridge and the original fort grounds now hold large round steel storage tanks.
| In 1828 the settlement of Sinclair was given the name of St. Clair in honor of the lake just a few miles downriver. History buffs will recall that it was the French explorer Robert LaSalle who gave the lake its name when he sailed through it aboard the "Griffon" on the feast of Saint Claire. From 1825 until 1910, the present boat harbor became the site of a shipbuilding industry where some 50 vessels were built. Some of the most noted ships built here include the 1691 ton Empire State which was too large for many docks and waterways of the day. In 1887 the Kaliyuga was built and was the longest ship on the Great Lakes at the time. |
This Romanesque inspired First Baptist Church is now home to the St. Clair Historical Museum and Community Center.
Photo by George Harizal
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That industry and the ships are now gone and so is Fort Sinclair but you can see a replica of the fort inside the St. Clair Historical Museum (810-329-6888) at 308 South 4th Street. The museum is located on the upper floor of the old 1872 Baptist Church. Inside you will find a wealth of information and displays surrounding St. Clair's history. You will even see the original clock face from the First Congregational Church clock tower that is still used as a landmark by passing ships and is listed on the nautical charts of the area. The museum hours are limited to 1:30 to 4:30PM on weekends and from 9-11AM on Tuesdays. Be sure to pick up a copy of "A Tour of Historic Saint Clair" when you're there. This pamphlet allows you to take a self-guided walking tour of the historical sights around the city.
I like to see physical evidence of historical sites. Even if it's nothing more than a foundation or ruins, it's something that preserves the memory of what once was. I found such evidence behind The Angler Rod & Sport Shop at 1426 Oakland Avenue a ways south of the bridge. As the photo shows, all that's left today is a small part of the concrete foundation. What it used to be over almost a century ago was the Oakland Hotel, the largest wooden structure in the world! Built in 1881 as a Swiss-style hotel and boathouse, it was one of the grandest hotels on the Great Lakes. It was also the largest wooden structure in the world standing 4 stories tall and measuring 235 feet long. It was partially destroyed by fire in 1915 and never reopened after that. What remained was torn down in the late 1920s.
The longest fresh water boardwalk in the world is here at St. Clair and provides visitors with a front row seat for Freighter Watching, one of the city's most popular activities. In early August, this is also the best place to view the St. Clair Offshore Powerboat Races. The beautifully maintained Palmer Park, which runs from the St. Clair Inn south along the boardwalk, has benches, statues, and other attractions that add to the appeal of this vantage point. Because the shipping channel is along the west bank of the river at this point, ships will pass within a few hundred feet of the boardwalk. Be sure to bring your camera. The park is the site of weekly concerts, and other events including Maritime Heritage Days in late August.
Directly across the street from the boardwalk is Riverview Plaza, a shopping center where you will find some great restaurants, specialty shops, and grocery stores for re-provisioning your galley. The plaza is the site of a number of special monthly events sponsored by the City of St. Clair. Depending on when you visit, you could find a Home & Garden Show, Sidewalk Sales, the City Carnival, an Antique/Collectable Show, a Craft Show, and more. Eateries include Hungry Howie's Pizza (810-329-5900) famous for their original flavored crust, London's Ice Cream, and Coney Island of St. Clair to name a few. If you like Chinese cuisine, try the Dragon Wok (810-329-8820). Shops in the Plaza include American Diamond Importers (810-329-6866) and Homeplate Sports Cards (810-329-8642) among others. You will also find the St. Clair Chamber of Commerce (810-329-2162), your best source for information on area lodging, dining, and shopping. Be sure to ask for a copy of "Scenic St. Clair Calendar of Events 2004" for a schedule of all the activities planned in the Plaza, the Park, and around town.
From the marina I was able to see the clubhouse at the Pine Shores Municipal Golf Course (810-329-4294) a 9 hole public course just across the river featuring tree-lined fairways with generous landing areas. I found the walk from the marina to the golf course to be a bit more than a few blocks. Lucky for me, the Murphy Inn was strategically located at about the midpoint along this route. A quick stop for a pint of the black stuff made the rest of the walk to the course on this 85º day easier to bear. Over one-hundred and sixty years of congenial hospitality… and still going strong. Thank you Mr. Murphy! And I found it only proper to thank him on the return trip, too.
Taking Your Leave
St. Clair is a pretty town with a deep sense of history. The people have made good use of its riverfront location and have beautified the area making it a favorite location for special events, freighter watching, or simply relaxing. I even enjoyed some freighter watching myself while tied up to the wall awaiting the first bridge opening of the day at 8:00AM. An upbound freighter with a striking red and black bow passed by just outside the river mouth. As she passed, her name slowly came into view. I made out the words, "Roger Blough", and a chill ran down my spine. Although this was the first time I ever saw this ship in person, I was all too familiar with her tragic past. I wrote a sidebar about her titled, "Fire in the Hole" for my article on the Port of Lorain, Ohio in March of 2002. This was the ship that caught fire just days before her scheduled sea trials back in 1974. The fire killed three workers and delayed her launching for a year. Until now, I had seen her only in 30-year-old news articles. On this day, she was very real and very near. When the bridge finally opened on the hour, I left the Pine River, turned north, and quickly caught up with the freighter. I grabbed my camera and took one of the most memorable photos of this cruise. Indeed, freighter watching can be surprising as well as fun!
Whether you're traveling north or south on the river, make it a point to stop at St. Clair. If that light blue, bascule bridge is closed at the mouth of the Pine River, you're no more than 30 minutes from the next opening. What you will experience on your visit to St. Clair is well worth the wait.
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